Port Jefferson

Port Jefferson has a rich maritime history. Since modern-day New Yorkers no longer rely on boats and ferries for transportation, the village has undergone a transformation over the past several decades. Shipbuilding infrastructure -- from the harbor to old boat repair shops and warehouses on Broadway -- are now open-air shopping plazas with bistros and boutiques, theaters, galleries and museums that showcase the town’s past. While parts of Port Jefferson (Port Jeff to locals) appeal to tourists and small business owners, the hills surrounding the marina and Long Island Rail Road station are home to residential areas where ordinary Long Islanders live year-round.

You can tell by real estate prices that housing in Port Jefferson is in high demand. This isn’t the kind of neighborhood where you’ll find many run-of-the-mill ranch-style homes and modern mass-market town houses. Many colonials and Cape Cods in this part of Brookhaven were constructed early in the 20th century through to the 2020s and still maintain the town’s original agricultural and maritime ambiance. Housing prices range from about $600,000 to more than $1 million but go much higher for homes with waterfront views.

Port Jefferson has some of the best public schools in the Suffolk County. The village is served by the Port Jefferson Union Free School District, which gets an A from Niche and an A+ for academics and college prep. It’s also the ninth-ranking district in the county. District-wide, there is one primary, intermediate and secondary education school, each getting an A from Niche. Regarding test scores, on a scale from one to 10, GreatSchools gives Edna Louise Spear Elementary School an eight, Port Jefferson Middle School a 10, and Earl L. Vandermeulen High School a nine.

When a community relies on tourism for revenue, you can set the bar high for businesses specializing in customer service, including restaurants, retail and entertainment venues. In 2022, Newsday produced a feature spread on Port Jefferson’s best eateries, from casual watering holes to highly rated bistros. Some highlights include Prohibition gastropub on E. Main Street, with a menu ranging from poutine to burgers and deep-fried burritos. If you’re going to be a resident of a coastal community, you may find yourself craving seafood. Ferryman’s Grille on E. Broadway comes highly recommended. They serve dishes like shellfish, chilled Maine lobster rolls, striped bass, and land-based entrees like steak frites and chicken parm.

Port Jeff may be known as a tourist town, but there are plenty of markets and big box stores on the main corridors throughout the township. Three Stop & Shops and a Target Grocery, ShopRite, Aldi and Lidl are nearby. There’s also The Home Depot and Smith Haven Mall just 8 miles west in Lake Grove, which has all the national chain stores, including Macy’s, Sephora and an Apple Store.

There’s obviously more to Port Jefferson than shopping and dining. It is a coastal community, after all. The entire north shore has private and public beaches, marinas and clubs. The Cove is an intimate beach with limited parking, but it’s dog friendly and a great place to escape the crowds of tourists and beachcombers. You can also rub shoulders with neighbors at Village West Beach, where only residents are permitted access. Port Jefferson Public Beach, within walking distance of the marina, is open to all and hosts a farmers market on Sundays from May to September.

The marina and harbor may be responsible for attracting visitors and potential homebuyers to Port Jefferson, but the village may not even be here today if it weren’t for the Long Island Rail Road station on Main Street. New Yorkers have been shuttling between the seaside town and Manhattan since 1873, when the Port Jefferson Branch of the LIRR opened. Before that point, the north shore community was a small shipbuilding village -- a giant leap from its pre-War of 1812 days when the entire town had just five houses. Interesting tidbit: no one complained about crowded beaches back then.

Written By

Tina Davis

Photography Contributed By

Joseph Popovich

Video By

Andrew Sutton